United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Accounting and Information Management Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1997-04-24 monographic deposited born digital 17 p. GA 1.13:T-AIMD-97-85 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85 P0b002ee18038c988 f:ai97085t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85 T-AIMD-97-85 Weather forecasting Earth resources satellites Systems conversions Systems design Requirements definition Computer software verification and validation Storms Strategic information systems planning NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System NWS Next Generation Weather Radar NWS Automated Surface Observing System NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GAO High Risk Program NOAA/NASA GOES-Next Satellite Program Testimony AIMD GAO discussed the National Weather Service's (NWS) systems modernization program.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) to reach the goal of better forecasting and earlier warnings with a smaller, downsized operation, the Weather Service has been acquiring new observing systems, including radars, satellites, and ground-based sensors, as well as powerful forecaster workstations; (2) the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) integrates, for the first time, satellite, radar, and other data to support weather forecaster decision-making and communications, and it is the linchpin of the NWS modernization; (3) operating under a $550-million funding cap, the system is expected to be fully deployed in 1999; (4) AWIPS development systems have been delivered to 16 locations nationwide, which this represents the first two of six modules, or "builds"; (5) AWIPS is planned for a total of 152 locations once fully deployed; (6) the Next Generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite is a program to acquire, launch, and control five satellites for identifying and tracking severe weather events, such as hurricanes; (7) the first satellite was launched in 1994, and the second in 1995; (8) three more satellites are planned for launch between now and 2002; (9) the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) is a program to acquire 163 Doppler radars; (10) scheduled for completion this year, 121 of the planned 123 NWS NEXRAD radars have been delivered to operational locations; (11) the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) is a program to automate and enhance methods for collecting, processing, and displaying surface weather conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, and to replace human weather observers; (12) scheduled for completion in fiscal year 1998, the ASOS system has been installed at 265 of the 314 planned NWS operational locations; (13) the Weather Service has generated better data, particularly with the new radars and satellites, and greatly improved forecasts and warnings; (14) notwithstanding such successes, however, each of the four programs has experienced cost increases and schedule delays; and (15) some of these delays can be attributed to changes in requirements; others were caused by program management and development problems. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85/html/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85.pdf GAO/T-AIMD-97-85 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-AIMD-97-85 Testimony GAO/T-AIMD-97-85; Weather Service Modernization: Risks Remain That Full Systems Potential Will Not be Achieved; Weather forecasting Earth resources satellites Systems conversions Systems design Requirements definition Computer software verification and validation Storms Strategic information systems planning NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System NWS Next Generation Weather Radar NWS Automated Surface Observing System NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GAO High Risk Program NOAA/NASA GOES-Next Satellite Program